[keiferski]

Unfortunately Florida is much, much less expensive than almost anywhere else. A college education from a decent university in Pennsylvania will run you about 15k a year (University of Pittsburgh or Penn State). Throw in living costs and tuition increases, and you're looking at 80-100k easily for 4 years.

[chollida1]

> Throw in living costs

I see the point you're trying to make, but I don't see why you'd calculate living costs into the cost of school.

If I'm working I'm likely to have higher living costs as most universities have subsidized housing and meals, not to mention most students live with room mates once they move off campus. I'd guess working people have far fewer room mates and much nicer/expensive accommodations :)

Anecdotally that's how it's been for pretty much everyone I know

[dpritchett]

Tuition at the University of Alabama is about $9,000/year for in-state students. It was half that when I attended in the early 2000s. It's not a highly ranked CS school but there are plenty of resources available and it's worked out well enough for me so far careerwise. I was working 40 hours a week throughout grad school, so my lifetime student loan total amount maxed out at around 1/3 of your quote.

On the flip side, my high school roommate dropped out of college as a freshman and he is doing just great working for a big-name Valley startup.